While putting together the list below, our main aim was to provide some insider tips regarding the activities available around Lake Balaton and in Zamárdi outside the confines of Balaton Sound. In order to satisfy everyone’s needs, we give you a wee bit of culture, a bite of gastro, a sip of wine, and a few extreme programmes. If you follow our lead, good things will come to you, and you’ll have an unforgettable time at the festival by the Hungarian Sea!
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1. Exploring Tihany
One of the most popular programs during the festival is visiting Tihany. Ferries depart all day long from Szántód, so reaching Tihany-peninsula within thirty minutes is always a possibility. You could start with the basics and visit renowned sights such as the Benedictine Abbey and the cottages, but when the weather is fine, it is worth having a picnic on the shore of Belső-tó (Inner Lake). The scenery is bewitchingly beautiful, and to make things truly romantic, you can even pick lavender blooms. For a great meal, visit the peninsula’s best restaurant, Ferenc Cellar!
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2. An afternoon at Balatonfüred
Either by car aboard Tihany ferry, or on foot aboard a cozy boat, visiting Balatonfüred, the capital of the Northern Shore, is a must! During the last few years, the town center has been thoroughly transformed: the promenade has been reconstructed, as well as the 100-year-old villas. Stroll around the tiny, lovely streets, and if you’re looking to regain all the lost calories, head over to Karolina Café and Cocktail Bar, where you can nibble the region’s best cakes and sweets! If you stay after sunset, climb up to great heights, and soak in the beauty of the Balaton Sound’s lights!
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3. Gastro-wanderings along the Southern Shore
For those gastro-maniacs who can’t live without fine meals during the course of the festival, we deliver a pair of tips! The first one, Kistücsök, is situated in Balatonszemes, and is regularly listed among the country’s best restaurants. The second one, Chateau Visz, is currently denoted as the best restaurant of the countryside, and has a very good chance of receiving a Michelin star.
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4. I'm on a boat!
Put on your sea captain uniform, glue a parrot to your shoulder, and conquer Lake Balaton! You can rent a sailing-boat or a smaller yacht at Siófok for a day or for a whole week. Just imagine the joy of retreating to the calmness of your boat after an all-nighter, far, far away from the bustling and hustling of Balaton Sound! Ease your hangover by taking a plunge in the lake in the morning!
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5. Spherical Look-Out Tower at Balatonboglár
Although it is only accessible by car, the sight of Balatonboglár’s futiristic sensation, the Spherical Look-Out Tower, will make the thirty-minute-drive feel like a thirty-second one! The Sphere, which resembles the Atomium of Brussels, provides an unmatchable view on Lake Balaton from Tihany to Badacsony.
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6. Wine tasting with a sip of pálinka
For wine-loving Balaton Sounders, we recommend a one-day, three-stop-trip around the Southern Shore. The trip’s starting point should be Balatonboglár’s Légli Winery, where bottles of fan favourite 'Béla és Bandi' are made. Konyári Cellar, the grandmaster of fruity red wines, is situated right in the next village. The last stop of your wine tasting tour should be Zamárdi’s Zimek Pálinka House, where you can sip award-winning, soul-pleasing beverages.
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7. Badacsony trip
Although it is a bit far away, you might want to sacrifice a day from your post-Sound schedule to discover the picturesque surroundings of Badacsony Hill. Those brave enough to climb to the highest point of nearly 800-year-old Szigliget Castle will be rewarded with a breathtaking panorama. Seekers of peace and harmony will surely fall in love with both the Polish Chapel of Hegymagas and its idyllic surroundings, where you can quench your thirst from roadside springs providing crystal-clear water. Speaking of thirst quenching, Badacsonytomaj’s Laposa Winery is worth visiting for several reasons, one of them being so-called 'Bazaltbor' (Basalt wine), a really fine type of wine, and another being Laposa’s imposing buliding, which won ArchDaily.com’s industrial building of the year award in 2010.
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8. Tandem skydiving
After all the belt-stretching eating, drinking, and chilling, it is high time we rushed for an adrenaline rush! If a Balaton Sound-based bungee jumping does not skyrocket your heart rate to desired heights, give tandem skydiving a try at Balatonkiliti Airport! Only a couple of miles away from the festival’s confines, you’ll be boarded on a Cessna and flown up to the clouds to jump into the unkown and have the time of your life!
